Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-04-10
SOME srRIKING IGuRES.


SOME STRIKING FIGURES.
A writer in the Age Of Steel in speaking
of the industrial situation, gives these in
teresting facts: 1.-The machinery of this
country is controlled by 81, 900 men, there
being 10, 25O, 900 men affected and governed
thereby. Two million seven hundred and
fifty thousand hands receive q wage ofS346
q Year. OF these 5S2, 900 are women and
1s2. 600 children. The average wage OF
farm hands, Of which there are S,OOO,OOO,
is $3.50 a year, or less than 20 cents q day.
VANDERBILT made more from lSSO to 1850
than a million farmers. The profits OF
1000 banks were equal to the earnings oil
500, 900 farmers; the net gains OF 100 rail-
road companies to the earnings Of $500
600 farmers; $50, 600 stockholders in rail-
WAYS owning 10, 900 miles Of road, repre-
senting with equipments about 5 :, 1000, 900, .
OOO charge for their service $500, OOO, 600
and paw some 800, 900 employees about a
dollar q day.
As a result of this distribution, the
writer a V "As an adjunct and logical
consequence we find ourselves nearing the
point in wealth in which luxury makes
Measure the object of life and labor its
worst misfortune. We are paying $500
for n dress, $1,000 for . pair of ear rings,
and going to the White House with some
$500 o of jewelry adjoining five feet and q
half of ordinary humanity. We give ST.
900 a night to an opera singer, whilst in
the same city some poor sOngstresS is earn
ING - cents q dozen working at button
holes, and men are glad to pick a behring's
bones in sight Of a palace where Others are
b~anquetiug on wine SIG q bottle and
strawberries 80 cents n piece. If history
has a lesson for US on this matter, it has
an unpleasant significance
These are unpleasant words to think
of. But not many persons in this meek OF
the woods make the people feel sad by ban
quoting on wine ut $40 per bottle, visiting
the White House, wearing $4,000 worth
Of .iewelry OF standing on the corners eat
ing Strawberries worth thirty cents 4 piece.
WILL THE TRADEOFTHE WATER
WAYS BE REVISED9
There are 50 many interests under con-
sideratiou by the Interstate Commerce
Commission that it is hard telling what
will be the effect in the leyeling-dOwn pro-
cess that is going ON. Some towns have
been built up because railroads have dis
criminated against other towns. Indus
tries have sprung mp i'll some OF these
towns through the artificial stimulus given
them by discriminating against the indus
tries in other towns. When this artificial
stimulus is removed by freight charges be-
ing made somewhat prOpOrti0natc to the
distance of the haul, it may be that many
an industry will have to shut down. This
will not he the fault of the Interstate
Commerce law, hut of the unhealthy slim
illus given by railroad discrimination,
building one section up ut the expense Of
another. The object of the law is to Sc
cure Justice tn all sections.
The law will likely have 2 great effect
upon tine traffic of waterways. Peo-
pie remember the lines Of steamers
that used Ia traverse the Ohio
and Mississippi from Pittsburg 10 New
Orleans. Il was the golden age Of steam
boat men. But - railroads were built
along the rivers, the river trade declined,
until at present the steamships and hargCs
that ply the rivers are hut shadows of for
mer days. The decay has been FASTENED
by railroads reducing their rates where
there was competition from waterways,
and making greater charges in sections
where there WAS no such competition.
But now since water transportation can
not be injured by discrimination, new life
will be infused into river traffic. 1t may
be that a large part Of its former prestige
will return and we shall see the Ohio COW
cred with steamers and all kinds Of craft
bearing the products Of II forests, mines
and factories. At least the way will be
open for free, honest competition between
the railways and lines of steamers, and
whichever offers the best inducements to
the public will get the trade.